Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Nov 2001

Vol. 545 No. 3

Written Answers. - World Trade Negotiations.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

13 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the outcome of the deliberations at the WTO with particular reference to immediate and future implications for agriculture and the food industry in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30179/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The ministerial declaration agreed at the WTO ministerial conference, while not prejudging the outcome, commits WTO members to negotiations in relation to agriculture aimed at substantial improvements in market access, reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support. It also provides that special and differential treatment for developing countries shall be an integral part of all elements of the negotiations and that non-trade concerns will be taken into account.

The draft declaration originally proposed referred to, "reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies." This phraseology would have predetermined the outcome of the negotiations and was unacceptable to me for that reason. Due to the insistence of two EU member states in particular, France and Ireland, and against strong opposition from other WTO members, the phrase "while not prejudging the outcome of the negotiations" was inserted in the final text.

I am satisfied that the terms of the ministerial declaration are in accordance with the EU's negotiating mandate on agriculture which was agreed by the Council of Ministers. This represents a most successful outcome to the Doha conference for the EU and for Ireland.

The new round of negotiations is scheduled to commence in early 2002 and to conclude by 2005. It would not be appropriate to speculate on the outcome of the negotiations. However, in preparation for the future challenges and opportunities that may emerge for the Irish agriculture and food industries, I established in June 1999 a group to make recommendations on the development of those industries over the present decade. That group's report entitled Agri Food 2010 was completed in March 2000 and I approved and published a plan of action in August 2000 for the implementation of its recommendations.

Substantial funding for many of the recommendations has been provided in the National Development Plan, 2000-2006. I am confident, therefore, that the agriculture and food industries will be well prepared to cope with any increased competition on the domestic market and to exploit opportunities on export markets and so maximise their contribution to Irish wealth and employment and the development of rural areas over the next ten years.